2025 Stars of the Industry
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OHLA's Stars of the Industry Awards provide recognition to your employees - an important part of validating, thanking, encouraging, and retaining your best performers and boosting morale within your staff. Nominating your associates for these prestigious awards will give them the recognition they deserve for their hard work and dedication. This is a great opportunity to honor your team's excellence and contribute to their professional growth with local, statewide, and even national recognition. It's quick, easy, and free—help celebrate the shining stars of Ohio's lodging industry today!

Nominations will be accepted on a regional and statewide basis. Regional nominations will be collected for the Greater Cincinnati, Greater Cleveland, Greater Columbus, and Greater Dayton Lodging Councils and winners will be recognized at luncheon events in August & September of 2025. The winners from the regional competition and additional nominations from the rest of the state are celebrated at the statewide awards at the OHLA Annual Conference in November of 2025. Statewide winners are eligible for national recognition.

OHLA Stars of the Industry Nominations will open on April 1!

 

Presented by:

       

 

 

Criteria

  • Any individual, property or allied member, can submit a Stars nomination 
  • All team members of an OHLA member property are eligible for a Stars of the Industry Award Nomination. Dues must be current.
    • With the exception of previous award recipients in their respective category. An award winner may not win in successive years for the same category. For example, if John Doe won General Manager of the Year in 2024, they will not be able to win the 2025 General Manager of the Year. John Doe CAN be nominated & win for a different category in 2025. 
  • Individuals should be nominated in the category most relevant to their roles and duties within their organization
  • Award winners will be determined based on a review by an impartial panel consisting of OHLA members & partner entity representatives 
  • Nominations should be for contributions made in the past calendar year
  • We encourage you to provide a profile picture or headshot of your nominee with the nomination form.


Awards Categories & Descriptions

Full-Service Categories
These categories are exclusive to self-identifying full-service properties. Full-Service properties can be defined as entities that have, but not limited to, an on-site restaurant and bar, on-site catering, room service, spas, and other in-house services.

  • Housekeeper of the Year
    Arguably one of the most important roles in the lodging property is that of a housekeeper. This award recognizes a dedicated houseperson who not only meets but exceeds expectations of their role. Cited criteria can include room cleaning statistics, guest stories or testimonials, prior recognition, or team member interactions. Possible positions can include: Housekeeper, Housekeeping Manager, Housekeeping Supervisor, Housekeeping Director, Laundry, Room Inspector, Houseman, housekeeping team member
     
  • Front Desk Associate of the Year
    The interaction with the front desk can make or break a guest’s experience. This award recognizes dedicated front-office team members who greet guests and manage the front of house operations to ensure all have an exceptional experience. Cited criteria can include guest stories or testimonials, prior recognition, or team member interactions. Possible positions can include: Front desk staff, hotel porters, bellman, concierge, reservation agents, night audit, operations team members, parking attendant, front office manager
     
  • F&B Team Member of the Year (Formerly Server of the Year)
    Curating a dining experience is a fun, yet crucial role for hotel food service operations. This award recognizes individuals who are involved in the food and beverage-related operations of a hotel property and who ensure all hotel guests dietary needs are met and a cleanly environment is maintained. Cited criteria can include guest stories or testimonials, prior recognition, or team member interactions. Possible positions can include: Restaurant servers, rooms service attendants, market cashiers, kitchen staff, chef, dishwasher, busser, Food & Beverage Director
     
  • Engineer of the Year
    The engineers that serve lodging properties are the true backbone of the industry. This award recognizes individuals who not only improve and maintain the lodging facility itself but are dedicated to the safety of those who work and reside in it. Cited criteria can include guest stories or testimonials, prior recognition, or team member interactions. Possible positions can include: Engineer, maintenance technician, maintenance supervisor
     
  • Supervisor/Manager of the Year
    Our most popular award, this achievement recognizes a lodging operations Supervisor or Manager who oversees and manages a team in a particular hotel department. This individual goes the extra mile to ensure their team is operating successfully & efficiently, offering support & encouragement, and elevating the guest experience. Cited criteria can include hotel operating statistics, guest stories or testimonials, prior recognition, or team member interactions. Possible positions can include: Assistant General Manager, Hotel Manager, Human Resources Manager or Director, Operations Manager, Revenue Manager, IT Manager, Event Manager
     
  • General Manager of the Year
    Reminiscent of a ship captain, the General Manager helps their team stay on course. This award recognizes a General Manager who portrays exemplary leadership skills, creates a positive workplace culture, ensures a seamless guest experience, and maintains smooth hotel operations. Cited criteria can include hotel operating statistics, guest stories or testimonials, prior recognition, or team member interactions. Possible positions can include: General Manager, Area General Manager
     

SEL Categories
These categories are exclusive to self-identifying Select, Economy, and Limited Service (SEL) properties. SEL properties can be defined as entities that have mainly rooms-only operations, without on-site food & beverage operations. These properties may still have pools, fitness centers, or limited event space.

  • SEL Housekeeper of the Year
    Arguably one of the most important roles in the lodging property is that of a housekeeper. This award recognizes a dedicated houseperson who not only meets but exceeds expectations of their role. Cited criteria can include room cleaning statistics, guest stories or testimonials, prior recognition, or team member interactions. Possible positions can include: Housekeeper, Housekeeping Manager, Housekeeping Supervisor, Housekeeping Director, Laundry, Room Inspector, Houseman, housekeeping team member
     
  • SEL Front Desk Associate of the Year
    The interaction with the front desk can make or break a guest’s experience. This award recognizes dedicated front-office team members who greet guests and manage the front of house operations to ensure all have an exceptional experience. Cited criteria can include guest stories or testimonials, prior recognition, or team member interactions. Possible positions can include: Front desk staff, hotel porters, bellman, concierge, reservation agents, night audit, operations team members, front office manager
     
  • SEL Attendant/Host of the Year
    Providing excellent service and a kind face is so crucial to hotel operations. This award recognizes individuals who are involved in morning breakfasts, event receptions, and everything in between. These team members are often maintaining a clean environment, refreshing food & beverage, and acting as an ambassador to the property by engaging with guests and learning about their purpose of travel. Cited criteria can include guest stories or testimonials, prior recognition, or team member interactions. Possible positions can include: Restaurant servers, bartenders, market cashiers, kitchen staff, chef, dining attendants, dishwasher, busser
     
  • SEL Engineer of the Year
    The engineers that serve lodging properties are the true backbone of the industry. This award recognizes individuals who not only improve and maintain the lodging facility itself but are dedicated to the safety of those who work and reside in it. Cited criteria can include guest stories or testimonials, prior recognition, or team member interactions. Possible positions can include: Engineer, maintenance technician, maintenance supervisor
     
  • SEL Jack of All Trades
    Defined as someone who can do many different jobs, this achievement recognizes a lodging operations team member who oversees and manages a multitude of roles. This individual goes the extra mile to ensure their property is operating successfully & efficiently, offering support & encouragement, and elevating the guest experience. Cited criteria can include hotel operating statistics, guest stories or testimonials, prior recognition, or team member interactions. Possible positions can include: Assistant General Manager, Hotel Manager, Human Resources Manager or Director, Operations Manager, Revenue Manager, IT Manager, Event Manager
     
  • SEL General Manager of the Year 
    Reminiscent of a ship captain, the General Manager helps their team stay on course. This award recognizes a General Manager who portrays exemplary leadership skills, creates a positive workplace culture, ensures a seamless guest experience, and maintains smooth hotel operations. Cited criteria can include hotel operating statistics, guest stories or testimonials, prior recognition, or team member interactions. Possible positions can include: General Manager, Area General Manager

Specialty & Team Categories
These awards can represent both full and SEL type properties, except for Allied Member of the Year. Please note there will only be ONE WINNER for each city for the Service Superstar, Sales Leader, Hospitality Leadership Team, and Community Involvement categories!

  • Service Superstar of the Year
    The level of service provided by associates can make or break the overall guest impression of the property. This award recognizes an individual who goes the extra mile to provide an exemplary level of service directly to the guest and to their team. This person is always willing to help no matter the task and is a key contributor to associate morale. Cited criteria can include guest stories or testimonials, prior recognition, or team member interactions. Possible positions can include: Any non-leadership, operational team members (ie. front desk team members, housekeeping team members, F&B Operations team members, night auditors, shuttle drivers, and baristas). Eligible individuals do not lead a team (ie. no Directors, Managers, or Supervisors) 
     
  • HSMAI Ohio Sales Leader of the Year
    A great sales leader is dedicated to their property’s success. The award recognizes an outstanding sales, marketing, or revenue professional for their hard work & overall contributions to the property’s bottom line and to the leadership within their commercial strategy team. Cited criteria can include statistics, client testimonials or stories, prior recognition, or team member interactions. Possible positions can include: Director of Sales, Director of Marketing, Director of Revenue, Sales Manager, Revenue Manager, Marketing Manager
     
  • Hospitality Leadership Team of the Year (Team Award)
    No one person can achieve the successful operation of a lodging property themselves. This award honors a leadership team who continuously achieves and exceeds their goals, supports one another in highs & lows, creates a collaborative environment, and works every day to shine the best possible light on the lodging property. Cited criteria can include hotel operations statistics, guest stories or testimonials, prior recognition, or team member interactions.
     
  • Charitable & Community Involvement Award (Property Award)
    This award recognizes a lodging entity that has gone the extra mile to support the needs of the greater community of which it resides through charitable efforts. Cited criteria can include statistics, community testimonials, prior recognition, or team member testimonials.